Which initial comes first

For instance Rebecca and Andrew White would be:. T he monogram style should be chosen to complement the taste of the couple and the item you are monogramming Monogramming a Gift for a Woman:. A monogrammed gift for a woman should include her first, middle and last initial or if she is married, her first, maiden name, and married name initials.

Traditionally, a woman's monogram is presented in first, last, middle initial order. So for Jessica Cailin Parker her monogram could be as follows:. Tradition dictates that a woman's maiden initials are always appropriate to use, even after she is married. However, it is more common to use a woman's first, maiden, and married surname initials once she is wed.

For instance, if Jessica married Anthony Dalton, her new monogram would be:. Monogramming a Gift for a Man:. For men's gifts, it is very important to consider the shape of the item to be monogrammed when choosing the order of the initials. When monogramming something for a man, many people prefer to use the initials in the first, middle and last order. This letter format is often found on personal items such as briefcases, luggage, shirt pockets and cuffs.

For these kind of items, Benjamin William Rogers would be:. Monograms can also be tricky. Mastering the order "What goes in the middle? But knowing how to present them is key to telling your personal story. And once you get it right, the options are endless on how to make them look great—and just like you. There are so many different shapes, sizes, and weights.

And so many color options too. For example, a single woman with a double-name will have a monogram that looks incredibly different than a single woman without a formal middle name. What's the proper order? Should everything be an upper case letter? We're here to set the record straight. Start Slideshow. Traditional Monogram Format. Credit: Mary Elizabeth Davis. Three Letter Monogram Format. Place the initials in order first, middle, last at the same size for an individual monogram.

Two Letter Monogram Format. In the rest of the world, and to some extent in the USA, they may not work. The reason is that there are 2, not 3, major components to people's names:. Given-names: these are the names given to children by their parents or, rarely, are changed by the children. Family-names otherwise known as surnames : these are the names passed down from generation to generation except in Iceland. Example 1: Mary Elizabeth Smith has two given-names and one family-name.

If she calls herself Mary, then she has a first name, can use a middle initial, and has no problem with the forms. Example 2: Supposing, however, that she has been called Elizabeth Liz for short since birth. Then, her name won't fit the standard forms.